Horror In The City
by Gray Del
Summary: Katie, Travis, Annabeth, Percy, Nico, And Thalia get a house in the city of New York. But weird stuff starts happening. The doors open and close by themselves, stuff goes missing and new things appear overnight, and they get notes. What happens when the house locks them in?
1. Moving In

**Warning: This is a collab story with two awesome authors. You may not be able to handle the awesomeness that is GrayDel and FootWebbed**

I breath in the cool autumn air as the wind blows my short black hair around.

As of four hours ago I caught a plane to New York, as requested by my best friend, Annabeth. We are all buying a house to live in while we go to college. We is Annabeth, her boyfriend Percy, Katie and Travis, Nico, and I.

I stand in front of our new house with a satchel and two full boxes under each arm. The house is buzzing with energy, the rest of my friends already inside.

I sigh and walk up to the old wooden gate, pressing on it with my free fingers. The gate slides open easily and I press it open with my combat boot.

Walking up the slippery concrete stairs I brace myself for the craziness inside.

Ringing the doorbell with my free fingers I hear my friends yell," Not it!" until I hear someone say," Dang it!"

A grumbling Travis opens the door but brightens when he sees me.

"Thalia's here!" He screams. "Thalia, get your butt in here, it's raining!" Annabeths voice complains.

I let out a breath of laughter as I step inside, Travis closing the door behind me. I walk into a small hallway and come out into a normal sized living room. I set my soaked boxes in a corner near the air vent so they dry and set my satchel beside them. I sigh in relief as the weight falls off my arms. Looking at my friends I almost laugh. They're all in pajamas with whipped cream on their faces.

"Should I ask?" I decide.

"No." They all say.

Sighing I sit next to them on the giant couch.

"Get in your pajamas." Katie pesters, poking me with a sticky whipped cream finger.

I smack her hand away playfully. "Fine, give me three minutes."

Getting up I walk over to my clothes box and take a random tank top and shorts. I walk up the short stairs to see a small bathroom on the right wall and slip into it.

Turning on the dim light I observe the tiny room. A small sink and a toilet are straight in front of me as a shower is beside the door. I set my clothes on the edge of the shower and try the sink, only to have scolding hot water come out of the cold.

It slows down and becomes cold. I cup my hands under the water and splash it on my face. Sighing I get dressed.

I soon come out and walk downstairs, putting my soaked clothes back inside the box.

I hear them yelling and turn around.

"Hey, what's the problem here?" I ask.

"They're fighting over which movie to watch." Katie replies, twirling her hair in boredom.

"Okay, what are the choices?" I ask, turning into super mom mode.

"Paranormal Activity 2 and Frozen." Annabeth replies.

"Who wants Frozen?" I ask.

Two hands shoot up.

"Paranormal Activity?"

Two hands shoot up.

I look at Katie. "Choose."

"Frozen." She says simply.

"Okay, Frozen first, Paranormal Activity after."

They mumble in agreement and pop the movie disk in.

I sit next to Annabeth and watch as the movie starts.

In boredom I say I'm going to move my boxes to my new room, only to be ignored with a wave of Annabeths hand as her eyes stay glued to the screen.

I chuckle and bring my boxes up the stairs and into a room marked 'THALIA' in a black marker.

Pushing the door open with my foot I observe the room around me. A giant room looks back at me, shaped like a square with a smaller one next to it. A giant window is popped out with a cabinet under it, pillows on top to sit on the ledge.

I bring my boxes into the middle of the giant room.

I take my beeping phone out.

_From: Zoë Nightshade_

_Hey Thalia, your furniture just got shipped to your new address. How you holding up, are the boys annoying and disgusting?_

I laugh at the text and swiftly reply.

_From: Thalia Grace_

_I'm fine, and thank you for sending my furniture. Go on your vacation now, planes don't wait forever!_

I put my phone back in my pocket of my pajama pants before opening one of my boxes.

All my clothes look back at me. I take them to the cabinet at the window and slip them in, not caring what's where.

Once the box is empty I throw it across the room and take my other box with my blankets and pillow over to where my mattress will be and set it down in a mess of blankets.

As I reach for the other box I only touch air.

Turning around I find that the box disappeared.

My eyebrows furrow in confusion.

Maybe someone came in and threw it away.

I nod in agreement with myself as I stand and walk back to the living room.

But a nagging suspension told me that was not the case.

**This Chapter Was Written By Me :3**


	2. Notes Of Chicken Scratch

As I stride into the living room, I notice my friends singing, very badly, to Let It Go. Travis is the worst; bellowing off-key and failing to mimic Idina Menzel's voice.

"Guys." I nearly whisper, barely able to get a word out. My voice trembles like the time I was forced to sing in my 1st grade school talent show.

They don't react, but settle down once Let It Go stops and the scene cuts to Anna and Hans. The glow of the tv screen reflects on everyone's face.

Abruptly, I hear a flutter of paper coming from my right. A yellow sticky note was floating down towards the table, which adorned a lit lamp and a 'Summer Boardwalk' scented candle.

My hands shake as I reach for the paper. I can feel trickles of sweat rolling down my wrist. The note is decorated with seven words written in chicken scratch.

_Don't tell, and you will be safe._

I immediately realize that this has something to do with the mysterious box disappearing.

"Thalia? You OK?" Percy inquires, his arm wrapping around Annabeth's waist. They sat on the grey leather couch, necks straining to see me. Rushed, I fumble with the paper until it fell back down.

"Yeah - yep - mmmhmm." I stammer, glaring at the laminated hardwood floor. The light azure walls now seem a lot darker than before.

"Something's wrong." Annabeth observes. I keep my gaze at the floor, feeling too guilty to reply. She bolts up, out of Percy's grip, and struts over to me, snatching the note off of the table. The color drains from her face, and her breath quickens. "What's going on?"

"I don't know." I find myself beginning to ramble. "First, one of my boxes disappeared, and then this note just came to me out of nowhere." My hands are telling the story. Percy bounces off of the couch, ballpoint pen in hand. A cap rolls on the floor, and the pen is now Percy's Celestial bronze sword, Riptide.

My hands are thrown up in protest. "Percy, there's no need for this. You all can just keep on watching Frozen." The extensions in my hair feel like snakes impaling my brain.

"We can't ignore it." Percy rattles, capping Riptide once again. "Everyone- stay alert." He announces, plopping back down on the couch. I glance at Annabeth, sigh, and we sing Fixer Upper terribly.

**This Chapter Is Written By FootWebbed :3**


	3. The Vision

After the movies end we all go to bed.

I find out Travis and Katie share a room next to me and I sigh. No sleep tonight.

Sitting on my makeshift mattress, I take my computer out of my satchel and read over my email.

Spam, spam, spam, Artemis, spam spam.

I read over Artemis's letter, which consists of one sentence:'Don't talk to the boys.'

I almost laugh at that.

Just before I shut the laptop my email rings with a tone of 'You Got Mail'.

I look at the letter marked 'The House'.

Shrugging I open the letter.

_From: UnKnown_

_Subject: I Warned You_

_Thalia, I told you to tell no one. Why did you ignore my note? You know now I have to get even._

As soon as I finish reading the last sentence I hear a faint sound of an evil cackle beside my mattress.

I turn to my window to see a stilhout of a small figure.

My eyes adjust to see the figure clearly.

A small figure of a little girl, maybe nine, sits on an embroidered pillow. Her long hair is in high pigtails and she has completely white eyes. Her feet look bare, rough and calloused. Her small hands are put together as if she's praying and she wears a small dress, the fabric rough and torn at the edges.

I freeze, to shocked to move. I almost feel as if I'm in a movie, or a dream.

A dream.

I blink hard and open them to see the girl gone.

Sighing I close my laptop and fall on my back.

Just as my back hits the blankets I feel excruciating pain. I close my eyes and open them as white clouds my vision, only to see almost a projected image in front of me.

A little girl who looks almost like the girl I saw is standing above a pair of stairs. Our stairs.

Just before she turns around a blackness, almost like a shadow, forms a hand and pulls her hair until she fall down the stairs.

Her small back hits the railing as she tumbles down.

Her head hits the wall and cracks open with a sickening creak.

She falls at the bottom of the stairs with a pool of blood soaking her dark hair.

As she fell I seem to of felt her pain.

My head hurts horribly and my whole body aches.

It takes all of my willpower not to scream in pain.

I watch as the girls family gathers around her.

The mother cries in her hands as the father screams into a phone. A boy, maybe her brother, starts screaming for her to wake up.

I watch in horror as the paramedics take the girls lifeless body onto a stretcher and take her away.

The vision stops, as does the pain, but I simply sit their in awe.

Who could be so cruel, so heartless, so _evil_, to do that to a little girl?

**This Chapter Was Written By Me :3**

**P.S. Check This Story Out On FootWebbed And Favorite/Follow And Review For Continuous Support!**


	4. Locked Doors

I stumble out of the room, beads of sweat glistening on my forehead. Dizziness overwhelms me as I gaze across the dark living room, silent, as everyone is asleep.

What just happened?

Having visions of a young girl being rushed into an ambulance, a girl with white milky eyes, at that, is not normal.

"Katie? Annabeth?" I whisper, my soft voice echoing through the room. I hear a door discreetly close, and a silhouette appeared in the darkness. I can't tell who it is.

"You're breaking the rules, Thalia." The figure says Its voice sounds like hundreds of people speaking at once. I trip backwards, cutting my hip on a coffee table. The figure begins to walk towards me, and I attempt to get away, only to find myself cornered by the front door.

I twist the brass door knob, but it's not budging. Out of my pocket, I grab a shining silver key and enter it into the lock.

Nothing.

And that is the key to the house.

I turn back towards the figure, but it is no longer there. Thinking it was a nightmare, I run back to my bedroom, crawl under black covers spotted with stars, and drift into oblivion.

Hours later, I wake up, the sun peeking through the blinds in the window. My eyes squint in an attempt the sunlight, but to no avail. I practically throw the covers across the bedroom, and I struggle to stretch and yawn.

The smell of maple sausage and buttered pancakes wafts through my nose. I sniff the incense, savoring the sweet scent. I notice Travis standing by the stove, flipping pancakes the size of my face.

"Travis! I didn't know you cooked." I marvel, whipping my short black hair.

"Why, hello to you too." He replies , a smirk on his face.

"Hello." I sigh, then plop down on the couch.

"Something wrong?" Travis inquires, his eyebrow raised. He puts his attention on me instead of the stove.  
"I just had a nightmare last night."

"Funny. So did I. And Katie too." I see a plume of smoke coming from the stove.

"Um…. Travis?" My hands become clammy.

"Yes?" He whips around to find the pancakes and sausage on fire. Quickly, he grabs the dish towel and waves it in a frantic. Finally, I can not see the smoke. "Hockey pucks, anyone?" Travis holds up a scolding hot, black, and charred pancake in his hand. Ashes shed onto his hand. Suddenly, he drops the pancake. It lands on the tile floor with a thud.

"Ouch! It randomly got hot and burned me!" Travis complains, rubbing his welted hand.

"It's OK. Run it under cold water in the sink." I walk Travis over to the sink, and I gently dab his now crimson hand with a cool, wet rag. I hear footsteps coming, and Annabeth strides into the kitchen. She looks terrified out of her mind.

"I can't open the front door. Even with my key." She says. I feel each word sinking in, like I'm a sponge.

This is bad.

This means that my nightmare has come to life.

**This Chapter Was Written By FootWebbed :3**


	5. Emails Turn

I push to the door and pull hard on the nob. Nothing.

I frantically throw my body on the door and push as hard as I can.

"Thalia! It's not going to work!" Annabeth screams over the sound of my punches on the hardwood.

I pull back my now crimson knuckles and shake them out, drops of blood falling on to our white carpet.

"Percy!" Annabeth yells up the stairs.

He immediately comes down with his sword in hand. "Yeah?"

"We can't get out. All the doors are locked."

"Then get out your key."

"Seaweed Brain." She groans. "The key's aren't working."

His eyebrows furrow in confusion.

I slowly slink up the stairs while they talk and into my room.

I quickly open my email account and click to respond to the message the house, or whoever it was, sent to me.

My frantic finger move in a blur across the keyboard.

_From: __ThaliaGrace _

_Subject: Re: I Warned You_

_Who are you and what do you want? Why are we locked in? Let us go! And where you the black hand that pushed the little girl?_

After hitting send it immediately sends a reply.

_From: UnKnown_

_Subject: Re re: I Warned You_

_Don't you see? It's only the strongest that will survive in this house. Choose wisely Thalia Olivia Grace, choose wisely._

I feel someone watching and and I turn around to find the little girl.

She cocks her head like a dog and stares at me, her hair moving down in dirty clumps.

"Who are you?" I ask.

"Like you need to know." she says. Her voice sounds sad and echoed, as if she's speaking through a tunnel.

"Who are you?" I repeat, adding hostility to my voice.

"Just one of the souls the house has taken. Your next." she grins. "And when you die, I'll pass on."

My eyes widen as my door slams shut.

She steps toward me and I back up into my door.

I hear fists pound on my door and screaming to open the door but all I can do is scream as pain courses through my veins.

I literally feel my brain slowing down.

Just before I collapse the door swings open on my back, pushing me into the wall.

"Ow." I groan as they shut the door and run over to me.

"Sorry." Katie says.

"No problem…" I groan.

They help my up as the room spins.

"You okay?" Annabeth's voice echoes.

"Totally." I moan before passing out.

Oh Gods.

…

I wake up on the couch with my friends watching me intently.

I decided not to mention Travis and Katie's hands over on another.

"Hey guys." I say, trying to grin.

It turned into a grimace.

"Thalia, are you okay?" Katie asks.

"Peachy." I say, laying down and giving a peace sign.

"Same old Thalia." Annabeth groans.

They all get up and sit on the couch next to me.

"What are we going to do?" Travis asks.

"I don't know." Annabeth sighs and I gasp.

"The great Annabeth Chase doesn't know what to do?"

"Watch it Grace." she warns, putting a finger up.

I flinch at the last name but stay silent.

"One things for sure, we aren't getting out anytime soon." Katie sighs.

We all nod in agreement.

Then the lights go out.

**This Chapter Was Written By Me :3**


	6. No Powers

As I lie on the couch, mind spinning into the darkness, Percy starts to concentrate. His silence turns into moans.

"My powers aren't working." Percy informs us, glancing at Katie. "You try." Katie lets her eyes flutter shut, and a few seconds later, they open.

"Something's not right." She says, glaring straight at me. I hear footsteps coming from the stairs, and I sit up, feeling blood rush through my head. "It's ok, Thalia." Katie stands, then walks on her bare pale feet a few steps.

"Why is the power out?" Travis inquires as he waltzes into the room. I shift my weight on the couch, hearing the leather groan.

No one answers.

No one wants to answer.

Especially me.

Katie lets herself plop on the couch by my side, and so does Annabeth.

"Travis." Annabeth starts, her eyes full of sincere sympathy, although hidden in the storm. "Our powers aren't working, the doors are all locked, keys aren't helping…."

"So, what you're saying is that we bought the wrong house?" Travis freezes in front of me, and I feel a cough coming on. The air from my lungs struggles to escape as I wheeze."Whoa, girl, calm down. We'll figure this out."

"Can't- breathe" I choke out of my lips, my voice scratchy and unrecognizable. Black is surrounding my vision, just like my hair, my clothes, my boots, my life. It's all slipping away into an abyss, down, farther, farther, farther….

"Thalia!" My hearing returns, and I try to force air into my throat, but it's not working.

"Stay awake!" I can no longer see anything, just faint silhouettes. Everyone is frantically rushing around, and shouting at each other.

"What's going on?" Katie's voice whispers as I sink into the darkness, feeling my head loll back.

Hours later, my eyes open. I am still on the groaning leather couch, which is uncomfortable at the moment. My body finds itself sitting up. No one is around. The house is completely silent, and I can breathe. The Frozen DVD case and the Paranormal Activity VCR are still sitting on the cable box for the TV. It's like my friends disappeared and left everything the way it was before.

I ruffle my short, layered, highlighted, oily hair. "GUYS!" I scream through the empty house, only to hear my voice echo through the halls.

I check every single room in the house.

No one is here.

The doors are still locked.

My phone buzzes from the coffee table in the living room, slightly shaking the candle next to it. I have another email.

_Subject: re: I Warned You_

_From: Unknown_

_If you didn't tell them, they would still be here._

As I finished reading the message, I launched my phone across the room, and, as it hit the ground, its glass screen shattered. I found myself back on the couch, in a tightly curled ball, rocking and sobbing.

Rocking and sobbing.

**This Chapter Was Written By FootWebbed :3**


	7. Staircases Hurt

I compose myself and stand up, looking around the room.

The rivers of black eyeliner on my cheeks smudge as I wipe under my eyes.

I go up to my phone and take the shattered remains of it, throwing it in the trash with a victorious SMACK.

Looking around the dark, empty living room I sigh before going up to my room.

Opening my computer I frantically try to contact Zoe.

As I start to write my email a large sign pops up on my screen, like an ad.

I read it over.

_'You do realize, I still have your friends? Don't even think about it sweetie.'_

In frustration I look at the ceiling and scream at the top of my lungs "WHO THE HECK ARE YOU?"

I would've used more colorful language, but now was not the time.

All the doors shut in the house and all the lights burst to life. I start to panic, pulling at the knob as stuff continues to whirl around the room.

I duck as my laptop goes toward my head.

It shatters over my head and I can practically see my wallets money falling out.

Then it all hovers in the air and I pull harder.

I finally open it and race out of the room toward the living room, careful around the stairs.

"Thalia?" I hear someone say.

I turn to see Annabeth.

"ANNIE!" I scream, going over to her and hugging her tightly.

She doesn't retort with 'Don't call me Annie' weirdly enough, and hugs me back hard.

She usually hugs lightly.

I get out of her grip and stare at her.

Her grey eyes are full of anger and mourning instead of happiness.

"You're not Annabeth." I say, backing up.

She smirks and turns back into the little girl.

"Got ya." she says, backing me into a corner.

Aw crap!

I start thinking.

Isn't she a spirit?

In experiment I grab a random box, which happened to have waffles in it, and threw it at her chest.

It went right through it.

I pretend to not notice and let her back me into a wall.

Just before she lunges I run through her shadowed body and run up the stairs.

I feel someone pulling me down the stairs as I reach the top.

Oh my Gods, no!

I pray to all the Gods as I fight back, pushing my sock clad feet on the hardwood, slipping and sliding as I hold onto the railing.

I ignore the fact it's pulling my hair out and focus on staying gripped at the stairs.

They finally toss me down the stairs.

I tumble down the middle and hear a sharp CRACK and a pain on my left arm.

Some people might think they are going to die, or thank all their friends.

Instead? I grab the railing with my good arm and hoist myself up halfway down the stairs.

The girl stares in awe as I force myself up.

"You are strong willed." she says simply.

"Thanks?"

"I will leave you for a while for such a deed. But, I'll still kill you. I don't want to haunt this house my whole death." she says sadly, her eyes dimming at the thought of being here for an eternity.

She disappears and I sigh in relief.

Now, my arm.

I look at it and wince.

A huge chunk of the staircase found itself encased in my arm.

I go into the kitchen and pull out some tweezers, taking out the huge one with my fingers and the small ones with the tweezers.

I can see the bone when I finish, along with it being almost broken in half.

I take some rolls of bandages from under the sink and wrap my arm tight, ignoring the stinging feeling.

After I wrap my arm I decide to think.

How to get my friends back?

**This Chapter Was Written By Me :3**


	8. Poor Bulldog

This evening, my eyes are alert and so is my mind. I can't let anything go unnoticed, any sound, creak, or shadow. Unfortunately , the pain that is bearing on my arm doesn't go unnoticed. Imaginary daggers are piercing my flesh, and at the same time, my arm is being pressed onto a scolding hot stove.

As I spot the sun setting through a window, I crash on the couch, creating more wrinkles in the leather. I clutch my lightly bandaged arm as a mother rocks her baby. My eyes begin to flutter shut, as the pain and excitement that came before me today is tiring. When the darkness finally overtakes me, I hear a quiet yelp coming from Nico's bedroom. It sounded somewhat like a dog's bark. In an instant, I'm up from the couch and trudging towards the noise.

I enter Nico's room. The walls are a light grey. I had persuaded him not to go with black, because the room would be dark all the time. However, his bedspread is black as the night sky, and so is the furniture. Surprisingly, the room does give off a modern vibe, with its large windows and bean bag chairs.

My eyes dart around the floor until I come across Spike.

It's Nico's bulldog! I completely forgot that Nico brought Spike into the house. The dog's fur is mostly white, with tan spots. His face looks like it had been flattened with a waffle maker; flaps of skin were squished against eachother, and Spike's bloodshot eyes seem bewildered.

Then, the little girl appears. This time, she is mostly transparent. A menacing knife with ridges is suddenly plunged through Spike's body. Blood pours from his chest on to the floor, and his limp, lifeless body lands with a THUD on the carpeted floor.

I gasp, abruptly feeling intense pain in my injured arm. And then, the worst thing happens. I can't breathe once again- my throat feels constricted. Desperate for air, I wheeze and take a peek at the girl.

Her face is smug, and her lips are raised in a smirk.

Eventually, I am able to suck in a breath, the air tickling my lungs. I cough slightly and glare, channeling all the angry energy possible, at the girl.

"Who the heck do you think you are?! GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE AND BRING ME BACK MY FRIENDS AND UNLOCK THE DOORS. NOW." I yell, spit being launched through the girl's holographic figure.  
"Oh, I thought you knew who I was." The girl's eyes filled with melancholy.

"Well, just tell me!" I scream, crossing my arms, fists clenching. The girl whips out an army green hat and snuggles it on the top of her head.

"I'm Bianca di Angelo." She did look the part, with espresso brown skin, brown eyes, dark hair layered in clumps, and she seemed about nine years old. "I'm here to get revenge."

I suck in a quick breath, my legs barely holding me up off the carpet. "Revenge for what?" I ask, my voice cracking. Bianca breaks out into a huge grin, showing off her yellow crooked teeth.

"My death. You are responsible."

**This Chapter Was Written By FootWebbed :3**


	9. Hot Waffles

I stare at her in shock.

That could not be Bianca, right?

"How am I responsible?" I glare, putting a hand on my hip and stretching my leg out, only to have it in a pool of blood.

I ignore the warm and wet feeling soaking through my toes and continue to watch Bianca.

"It all started years ago…" she mumbles.

Oh great, one of THOSE stories.

_Bianca hugged the last of her relatives as they leave for New York._

_She went over to me and smiled sadly._

_"Why do you gotta go, Bi?" I pouted, crossing my arms._

_"Thals, my family needs me, and YOU were the one who said to go!"_

_Huffing I mumbled," It was a suggestion Bi, not a statement."_

_She laughed warmly._

_"Goodbye Thals."_

_"G'bye, Bi."_

_We hugged and she stepped into the black cadillac as the engine roared to life._

I stare at her, the red of the blood darkening under my foot.

"So?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

She huffs. "You're impossible."

"Says the girl who killed an innocent bulldog for no freaking reason!" I say, my voice high.

"I did kill it for a reason."

"Why?"

"Because you liked it. As my brother, if I'm correct?"

I feel my cheeks grow warm. "NO! I do NOT like Nico, nor that bulldog!"

I put my foot out of the dried blood, the crimson engulfed on my foot.

"Very well, then you won't hear the rest of the story until I feel like the time is right."

"Why?"

"Because it makes this fanfiction longer, Thalia, use your brain."

I sigh. "I suppose Bi."

She grins. "Good, now leave me!"

She closes her eyes, turns away, and waves her hand around wildly, making me snort.

"Yes, your highness." I joke before leaving the ghosted girl alone.

How did I kill her, and why did she blame me?

Whatever it was, I have to wait. I'm starving.

Walking down the steps I go over to the waffle box I threw and take some, putting them in the toaster.

They sink into the toaster while I tap my fingers in annoyance.

I ignore the gross feeling of animal blood on my foot and simply stare at the dark wood dining table, looking over the picture of all of us after the war with Gaea.

My hair was spikier than usual, a black ash covering my smiling face, Nico next to me and looked normal, a scowl and his shaggy hair.

Percy had swung a lazy arm over Annabeth's shoulders, his face with a long cut across his cheek.

Annabeth was flushed and had a splinter to hold up her injured foot.

Leo and Calypso, now freed, were holding pinkies and and blushing, his face covered in grease.

Frank and Jason all were trying to put bunny fingers above their girlfriends heads, Frank turning into a bunny to do so.

Piper and Hazel were rolling their eyes and smacking their boyfriends.

The pop of the toaster broke me from my thoughts.

I get up with a sigh and take the almost burnt waffles, throwing them on a paper towel with a cry of," HOT WAFFLES!"


	10. New Room

The waffles abruptly burn my tongue, and I clutch my mouth in pain. A red welt is probably growing on my taste buds right now. I drop the waffle on the white china plate in front of me, crumbs finding themselves on the table.

I rush to the kitchen sink, turn the faucet on cold water, stick out my tongue, and let it feel the cool H2O running over it. Droplets launch off of my tongue and place themselves on the granite counters.

As the pain resides, I search every room in the house for the missing box. It contains all of my earrings, hair extensions, and rubber bracelets. The cardboard cube is nowhere to be found. At a loss, I sigh and head to my bedroom.

I am greeted by light periwinkle painted walls, flowers adorning everything, a lace bedspread, pale white furniture, and too many windows.

This is not my room.

Then, I see ghostly Bianca, laying under the bed's covers, reading a book. Her hair forms itself in clumps by her neck, and she is wearing her nightgown coated in old dirt.

Bianca turns a crisp page, then slams the book shut, sending dust in the air. Her espresso eyes turn towards me.

"What have you done to my room?" I desperately ask, feeling the walls. "Where are my band posters? And my lightning bolt bedspread?" Balls of paint flake onto my hands.

"I like to live in the past. This is my old room." Bianca says, sitting up on the bed. I cringe when I hear the mattress groan under the ghost girl's weight.

"I would really like it if you GET OUT OF MY LIFE!" I let myself go, no longer controlling my body. My legs take me to the bed, where I pound the lace fabric with my fist. Electric blue eyes pierce into Bianca's soul. She blankly stares at me, twirling a piece of hair in between her fingers. A wall of crimson overtakes my vision, and I unconsciously crumple to the floor in a jumbled heap. The last thing I feel is a carpet burn on my thigh.

_Bianca stares at wonder at the girl._

The girl who is a hero.

The girl who protected Camp Half-Blood.

The girl who was a pine tree.  
"You're Thalia." Bianca whispers, removing her camouflage hat from her head and placing it over her thumping heart.

"There's no need for ceremony." Thalia answers,. Bianca begins to notice how blue her eyes are, and how they correspond with the bright purple extensions in Thalia's already jet black hair.

They stand at the edge of Camp Half-Blood's borders, facing the pine tree leaning on Half-Blood Hill. Dead leaves crunch under Thalia's army boots as she shifts her weight awkwardly. The sun is setting on the hill's horizon, creating a glint that pierces into Bianca and Thalia's eyes.

"So…" Thalia says, bored with Bianca already.

"This is amazing." Bianca marvels, looking at Thalia, who is a hero.

From that day on, Bianca decided that she would be just like Thalia. She would risk her life for the greater good, protect others, and be a hero.

I sit up from the floor, gasping for breath. My lungs wheeze and squeeze, wanting air like nothing else. Blood rushes to my brain, making me feel woozy.

Bianca's room is no longer here. Instead, my room is back! Pierce the Veil posters adorn the sparkling azure walls, and my lightning bolt bedspread matches the paint.

I let out a breath in relief.

Sweat clumps my choppy hair together as I run my hand down my moist neck. My head is throbbing; probably a migraine. The black leather jacket that I am wearing becomes very hot; therefore, I rip it from my skin and place it on the cream carpet.

I ponder what to do next. An incense of rot and death is wafting into my nose, coming from Nico's room. I stand, brushing the lint off of my clinging jeans.

After I tightly wrap Spike's body in a bedsheet, folds forming in the fabric, thick blood seeping onto my hands, I head out to the backyard. Chartreuse grass rises in colossal blades from the soil, and there is a weeping willow tree in the back. Using my hands, I dig into the dirt, creating a hole big enough for the bulldog's body.

Later, the ground at which I was digging is marked with a puny piece of driftwood. I had carved a message into the board:

_R.I.P.  
Spike, Nico's beloved bulldog  
_  
Usually, I won't be this sentimental. However, Nico is one of my best friends, and I don't want to disappoint him with a sad gravestone for his dog. I am curled at the base of the weeping willow's tree trunk, ants most likely crawling up my foot.

My injured arm is clutched in my right hand. The pain has subsided now.

When the first tear comes, I try to ignore it. It trickles down my frostbitten cheek, and lands on my lips. I taste Percy. The tear has a tang of the ocean, salty water cascading down my throat. As soon as I think this, the tears come steady, and do not stop.

The tear ducts in the corner of my eye are finally empty. I put my head in between my knees, staring into the darkness.

Written by: FootWebbed


	11. The Book

I wake up and start sobbing again.

I force myself to pull it together, only being able to have the tears run faster down my black stained cheeks and to hiccup and gasp for air as I struggle to breath through my tears. I try everything. Slapping my face, rocking back and forth, screaming in hysteria at the sky. The tears,

Will.

Not.

Stop.

I try to see through the blur of water as I walk to the back door to get inside. And then it starts raining, mixing with my black stained only makes me cry harder, my wet and useless fingers sliding off the handle to the door and hang limp at my sides as I fall to my knees and cry into my cold hands, my hair stringing from the rain.

It's kind of ironic as I call others on TV shows weak for doing this, yet at my most vulnerable point realize why they do it.

The rain on the ground soaks through my jeans and my converses squeak against the pavement. I force myself up only to slip back down, my face hitting the back door with a smack and a long, painful CRACK. My nose points at an odd angle and blood pours like a river. I take a deep breath and force it back to its original spot. I will be strong. I get up, planting my firm feet on the pavement and hold on to the door for support.

My shaky legs hold my weight as I pull the door open and put my converse in, covered in rain, tears, mud, and blood. My hair probably looks like Lady Gaga's and my makeup not much better. I force my other leg in and shut the door behind me, smiling in satisfaction.

I carefully step up the stairs and up to my room. Not seeing Bianca I take what's left of my clean clothes and put them on over my cold and soaked body.

I observe my outfit in the mirror. My short hair is stringy from the rain and put up in a simple ponytail. My Beatles shirt lays proudly over my chest and my skinny jeans cling to my wet legs, my converses off and replaced by red fuzzy socks.

With one final look I hop down the stairs and go over to the couch to find a leather bound book. In curiousity I pick up the dusty cover to find a title:

'_Sale Sangre_'

I immediately recognize it as 'Blood Bounds' in Spanish. Don't ask me why, I couldn't tell you. I open the delicate cover and flip through the book until freezing at one page with a simple line in black ink;

'_How To Resummon People From The Clutches Of Devils'._

My eyes scan over the paragraph greedily, my fingers clutching the page in anticipation.

'_If you have a reason for wanting another entity from a devils grasp, you must take your blood and pour it on this piece of paper along with chanting this mantra:_

'_Oh Dios tuyo, por favor permita Mis Amigos Tu Freedom From The Devil Eso los ha llevado de mis manos.'_

I stare at the page, grinning and laughing in hysteria. My friends can come back!

And all I have to do is slit my hand.


	12. Ropes

11h agoSome of you have been asking for some Percabeth 'fluff' in this story! So, here it is. It won't be a ton, but I hope it pleases you Percabeth shippers like myself. Enjoy!  
Written by: FootWebbed

My hand slips off of the crisp yellowing page. I realize what I have to do.

Desperation drives me to take a knife from a kitchen drawer. The silver glints in the artificial light of the room, and my clammy fingers grasp the handle, as if there's no tomorrow. Slowly and steadily, I guide the blade along my forearm, creating a cut that lets out a river of crimson blood. The first drop lands on the word 'mantra', and I find myself repeating the chicken scratch words on the page.

"Oh Dios tuyo, por favor permita Mis Amigos Tu Freedom From The Devil Eso los ha llevado de mis manos." I chant, my electric blue eyes following the lines of words. Finally, thick blood has completely covered every single word, and is now soaking through the pages. In a rush, I grab the leather bound book and toss it in the garbage can, no longer of use to me.

A stinging sensation pierces through the cut on my wrist, and I grimace in pain. Slowly, I rip open the medicine cabinet, locate a roll of gauze, and tightly wrap it around my hand. Afterwards, I twist off the cap of an Advil bottle and pop a couple of pills down my throat.

Better.

Annabeth's POV (BONUS)

My hand that is bound in fraying rope struggles to reach Percy's. I entangle my fingers with his.

Katie, Travis, Nico, Percy, and I are in a pitch black room. That's about all of the information I can give you, because the room is dark. The only thing that I can make out is the glistening sweat on Percy's forehead. I can hear Katie and Travis whispering frantically, but it's muffled.

"We'll get out of here. We survived Tarturus." I reassure, my fingers whitening as I squeeze Percy's hand.

"Together." He says, his sea green gaze romantic.

"Together. And with Katie, Travis, and Nico." I joke, slightly giggling.

"Well, at least we're not separated." I cringe at the thought. Percy looks down, the loose rope on his neck digging into his skin, creating a red mark.

"GUYS!" Suddenly, Nico's voice pierces through my ears. Footsteps echo through the room. Someone's free. "PUSH YOUR ROPES! THEY COME OFF!"  
I follow Nico's orders, gently tugging on the braided rope. It does come right apart, tearing at the middle and causing straying strings to stick out.

"Wow!" Katie exclaims.

"Now, if I can just get my flashlight…," Travis murmurs. I can see him fumbling with his denim pocket.

"What, you keep a flashlight with you at all times?" I antic, my face smug with delight.

Travis holds up a pocket-sized flashlight, probably feeling accomplished. "Yep!" He clicks the power button, and a puny ray lights up a foot of the room. At least we know now that the floor is hardwood, and there is a door at the end of the room.

Katie's hand slips over the doorknob as she forces it open. A scene that I never thought I would see ever again appears. It's the foyer of our house! Dust covers every piece of furniture. Not a big surprise there; Thalia isn't one to clean.

"Thalia?" I call, cupping my trembling hands to my lips. The response is a scratchy cough coming from the living room, and its recipient, is, you guessed it, Thalia.

I jog through the hallway towards the sound, and so do my friends. The room opens up, and a body that is recognizable as Thalia's is writhing on the carpet in the fetal position. Her hands are clawed, and she coughs a puddle of blood onto the floor. I grimace. Katie and Travis rush to attend to Thalia. Travis is patting Thalia's back, reassuringly, and Katie considers the use of CPR.

I turn to Percy, and his azure eyes are full of sympathy. Tears fall from my face, and I dig my face into his shoulder, wrapping my hands around his neck. I want him to hug me, but no kissing. That's exactly what he does; Percy's muscular arms embrace my waist. I can't stand to see my friends suffer, and he can't either. As I hear each cough, I cringe.

"Spike?" Nico makes a kissy noise with his lips, calling his dog. Unusually, the lazy bulldog does not come bounding down the stairs. Nico climbs the stairs to investigate.

I glance up from Percy's shoulder, and I notice a girl standing beside the television, watching Katie and Travis help Thalia. Her nightgown is tattered with dirt and old stains, her feet are crinkly and barefoot, and her eyes are a deep brown and menacing.

I immediately recognize her from a picture that Percy showed me a few years back.

The girl is Bianca di Angelo.


	13. Bianca's Death

Annabeth's P.O.V.

Bianca tilts her head until healf of her face is covered in tangled hair, simply watching a shivering Thalia. I watch her with wide eyes and untangle myself from Percy. He gives me a concerned look but I shrug it off and observe Bianca.

Her silk pink nightgown is tattered and ripped at the edges, her feet bare and covered in black dirt. Her hair is greasy and down to her waist, dark and tangled, covered in dirt. Her eyes are hollow, simply being pure white. Her hands clench as if she's in pain every second of the day.

"T- Thalia." I manage to get out, causing everyone to turn to me, including Bianca. They follow my gaze and Thalia starts shout in Greek, coughing blood and saliva.

Bianca's eyebrows raise and she smiles. "But Thalia, you haven't heard the best of the story!"

Story? We all look around in confusion but Thalia. She spits out more blood and mutters," You have an hour."

Bianca chuckles. "Well, you already know how I fell, correct?" Thalia's eyes darken dangerously and Bianca continues.

"It was a month after we moved..." She began.

_Bianca wakes up in a dark room. Confused she tries to rub her eyes, only succeeding to pull a pair on braided ropes. Her breath quickens and she starts panicking. A loud thundering CLAP of the door opening is heard in the small room and a man comes up to her. He smiles with dark yellow, crooked teeth and simply touches her forehead._

_And Then_

_The_

_Pain_

_Does_

_Not_

_Stop._

_She screams and begs for mercy, trying to get the pain out of her head. It only grows stronger and seems to seep down her body. Then she remembers Thalia is a hero. She starts calling Thalia's name as her heart starts to stop and her eyes slowly start to close._

"And I died." Bianca finishes, not meeting her brother's eyes. Thalia starts sputtering in rage.

"You where in the middle of no where or other and you expected me to come save you? That is not my fault!" Thalia says, now standing up and waving her blood soaked arms around. "And because of that you had to kidnap my friends, kill Spike, and throw me down a staircase?"

After her rant Bianca simply and calmly says,"No. It is because if you don't die, I have to haunt this house for a millennium." We watch as her eyes darken into a deep gray and she frowns in sadness at the thought of never leaving.

"Why me?" Thalia asks quietly.

"You were the last person I thought of until my untimely death." Bianca says simply, before her eyes darken, now in anger. "And I will have that."

In a matter of seconds she disappears. We turn to where Thalia was to find her spot cold and empty, Bianca's faint laughter in the air. We all look at each other with wide eyes.

Bianca took Thalia.


	14. The Underworld

1h agoThalia's POV

As soon as I leave the house, I leave my life behind as well.

Yes. I am dead.

When the fog covering my vision clears, I am standing in front of a small brick building. It is sweltering hot- so I realize that I must have traveled far. I gaze longingly up at the building's sign:

DOA RECORDING STUDIO

I sigh, then push open the glass door with my arm that is now cured of injury. A crowded lobby awaits me, and at the looming desk in front of me sits a scrawny man in a tailored suit. His nametag reads 'Charon'. Oh, this is the gateway to the Underworld. Right.

"Name, please?" Charon asks, the bags under his eyes glaring at me.

"Thalia Grace." I reply with my chin held high. Charon types a few things into his computer, then gazes back at me.

"I've had a special request for you to move as quickly as possible, but you will still be judged." Charon clears his throat. "An elevator is leaving now." He gestures toward the elevator door closing. I look at the door, back at Charon, then run, as fast as possible, to the door. Placing my hand on the door to stop it from closing, I curse and slip through the opening.

When the elevator quits going down, beeps, and opens, I view the Underworld as I step out. I see Cerberus, the giant 3-headed dog that Annabeth brags to me about, the EZ Death Line, and judging. The EZ Death Line has loads of spirits, and they are each forced to pass through an airport security metal detector. The air is hot and humid down here; I can feel sweat trickling down my neck.

As I head over to judging, I recall the dead judges. The one on the left is Abraham Lincoln. His face and neck are wrinkled to the point where his skin looks like leather. Wispy hairs are everywhere, and he has lots of grey ones. The one thing I notice about him is the bullet wound in the side of his head.

The second judge is Robin Williams, one of my favorite actors. I had heard a few days ago that he committed suicide. (R.I.P. , Robin. ) Like Lincoln, Robin's skin was wrinkled, and his eyes were light with a smile.  
And finally, the third judge. I recognized him as Elvis Presley! He had his oily black hair slicked back, and he was wearing his all-too familiar onesie with bell bottoms.

"Wow, OK…" I mutter as I make my way through the line.

"Cause of death?" Robin asks, his famous voice ringing through the room.

"Er- um…." I stutter, unable to come up with an answer. Those beads of sweat going down my back now feel like knives.

"Well?" Lincoln inquires, raising a bushy eyebrow.

"Some, uh, spirit, that was haunting my house, took me."

Elvis' eyes widen. "Did the spirit say why she took you?"

"She said that if I died, she could be freed from haunting my house."

"Oh, you know what this means." Lincoln says, his voice getting deeper by the word. Suddenly, I heard a wailing alarm. "You can't be in the Underworld! You have to haunt your house!"

I glanced at the spirit behind of me in line. It was Bianca, and she had a creepy smile curling on her lips.


	15. Depressing

They transport me from the underworld to our house in, like, three seconds. Love you too Uncle Hades!

With a sigh of annoyance I decide to see how my friends are doing.

I look in the living room at my bundle of friends. Annabeth is running her hands through her hair as if she's contemplating ripping it from her skull while Percy rubs circles into her back, trying to get her hands to unlatch. Katie is taking her distressed energy on beating the crap out of Travis, randomly punching him or kicking him in the middle of sentences. Nico simply stares off into space, his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped.

I feel a slight tug on my new clothes, a ripped blue nightgown. Yeah, they put us ghosts in nightgowns, torture.

His eyes widen and I realize he was trying to find Bianca. Oh crap.

"Thalia?" he says, silencing the rest of my friends. I step out of the other room to them and Annabeth starts ripping at her hair. Katie stops beating up Travis, much to his relief, and tries to touch me, only to have a hand go through my chest. She yelps and jumps back, landing in Travis's lap, not like either of them noticed.

I look down at my now bare feet, playing with my hands. Nico walks up to me and actually touches my shoulder. Oh yeah, son of Hades. He smiles sadly at me and I open my mouth only to produce air. I start flipping out, I'm not going to lie, and try to say every word from 'Peanut Butter' to 'Robot Cat'. Nico grabs both of my shoulder and forces me to see him.

"You won't be able to talk for a minute, your body getting used to your new… arrangement." he says. Meanwhile Katie was flipping out on Travis, grabbing his collar between her small hand, still on his lap, and starts babbling.

"She's not dead, right? She can't be dead, we saw her a couple hours ago. Yeah, she's not dead, just see through, ish, and we can't touch her for a while. No way she's dead. There is not one possible reason-" she gets cut off by Travis.

"Katie, calm down."

"DO NOT TELL ME TO CALM DOWN! I am perfectly calm, on SO many levels!".

He sighs and lets her continue on babbling.

I roll my tongue and try to speak, only coming out with a faint,"Katie."

She turns to me. "Yeah Thals?"

"Shut up."

"Oh," her face falls slightly."Okay."

"Guys." I whisper, trying to get their attention. It works. "I don't remember dying. I mean, I remember being hurt, but never dead."

They all ponder this, Nico seeming to concentrate on something entirely different.

"Death Breath, whatcha thinking about?" I whisper teasingly.

"Trying to contact Bi." he replies before his eyebrows furrow in concentration. Well, we lost him.

I start thinking. How does it feel to put your hand through the fridge? Or through another person? I put my hand through the fridge and ponder the feeling. Cold and hollow.

Annabeth presses her sweatshirt to her body, obviously cold. I can't feel it and get super depressed, something even rainbow cats can't help.

I'll never feel the wind through my hair, the warmth of first morning sun on my face, the relief of cold winter air moving through your lungs. All of it gone because some spirit got cranky. Oh God, now I'm SUPER depressed. Bring in the unicorns, I'ma need them.

"Thals?" Katie says, pulling me out of my depressed hole.

"Yeah Kat?" I sigh, trying to pull the dress down.

"Are you okay?" She asks, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Fine Kat, I just _died_, but perfectly fine." I spit, rage coursing through my veins for no reason. She looks at me with actual fear, gripping Travis's arm.

I sigh, trying to get the anger to deplete. I nearly smack my forehead in realization.

"College. What is the University going to think?" I ask aloud.

My friends shrug, Annabeth giving me an exasperated look. I give her a look and she sighs.

"You're dead," I flinch at the comment." and you're worried about COLLEGE?"

I nod my head in a 'duh, silly girl' manner. It depresses me that she voices the fact that I'm dead. It's SO depressing.

"I'm going to need a kitty." I sigh.

"What?" My friends ask in confusion.

"Nothing, just depressed." I shrug. "OH MY GOD! I'M NEVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE POP TARTS AGAIN! The world has officially ended for me!" I suddenly scream.

Annabeth smacks her forehead in annoyance and Katie looks sadly at me, also loving poptarts. No more s'mores in the morning! Sad face inserted…

Well, this is now the king of depressing. Great.


	16. Robin Williams

Thalia's POV

I reach out my hand so Annabeth can take it, and my fingers pass through hers, like I'm a hologram.  
Or a ghost.  
Annabeth gasps, covering her lips with cupped palms. Everyone in the room follows, sucking in a breath and staring at me in bewilderment. Katie recovers and strolls towards me, her feet causing the old wood floor to creak.

"Thalia…" She whispers, stopping in her tracks.

"So, did you go through the EZ Death Line, judging, or other?" Percy smirks, raising a bushy eyebrow. I almost let out a giggle, but can't allow myself to.

"Judging." I groan, twirling a strand of bleached, unnaturally colored hair in between fingers painted with midnight polish. "Robin Williams was there."

"Yeah, I heard he passed away…" Travis sighs, following my gaze to the floor.

We stand in silence, all taking in the fact that I'm dead, no longer alive, not even able to touch my friends. The news soak into us like water soaks into sand.

"I can't believe this." Nico says. His knees buckle and suddenly, he's on the ground, his face in his hands. I can hear muffled sobbing coming from in between his legs.

"Nico!" I cry, directing anger at my lifelong friend. "I'm still here!" He glances up from his legs. Nico's face is red, puffy, and swollen from tears. He sweeps a strand of dark hair from his eyes.

"I know that."

"Then why are you crying?"

"You're DEAD!"

"Thanks."

"You know what I mean."

"Ugh, Nico! You're always like this!" It's true. Nico is always sad, depressed, filled with melancholy. I just can't take it anymore. Now that I'm dead, I'm yearning for some happiness in my life. Well, my….. afterlife? I need to catch up on some 'dead people' vocabulary.

"Like what?"

"Just GO! I can't take it! If I have to haunt this house, I don't want YOU to make my haunting more MISERABLE!" I scream, clenching my fists. I'm pretty sure a vein is popping on my neck.

Nico looks down, brushes off his trousers, and walks out the now unlocked front door.

I climb up the stairs, almost slipping, tears streaming down my pale and cold cheeks. My hand turns the knob of my bedroom door, and I find myself crawling under the lightning bolt covers, gathering my holographic body into a ball. Darkness overcomes me, and so does sleep.

My eyes flutter open, and I am refreshed. I rub the gunk out of my eyes, and leap out of bed. A tickling sensation pricks my bare toes as they rush across the carpet and towards the door. I pull it open.

In front of me lies a light beige wall, but it is different. Crimson liquid has been used to write a message on the wall: blood. And then I gaze down, and I see Nico's body.

Nico's body.

His

dead

body.

The bloody message reads:

You must keep them all.


	17. Just Sleeping

My heart climbs into my throat and I gasp for air, weirdly enough, considering I'm dead.

Nico's dead body lays on the wood floor, his pale skin contrasting with the walls. His eyes are glassy, rolled back and now a light grey instead of a charcoal.

Tears spring at the corners of my eyes as I cover my mouth with my cold hands, choked sobs coming out of my throat.

I race down the stairs, slipping on the fresh blood.

I search the whole house for my friends, I even call for Bianca. But nothing, the whole house empty, except for me and... Nico.

I immeadiately go over to his dead body, shaking it through my tears, screaming at him. Calling him Death Breath, to wake up, to stop messing around, even tried laughing it off. He simply stares back with his glassy eyes, making me cry while I laugh in hysteria.

He'll be back, he's just sleeping. Sleeping with no pulse, no heartbeat, or breath.

Just. Sleeping.

I compose myself, chanting the phrase in my head as I stand up, walking back to my room.

Before I completely shut the door, I whisper,"Goodnight, Nico.", and quietly click the door shut, going to sit on my bed.

Nico's P.O.V. (Special!)

I watch her smile at my dead body, whispering something before shutting her door. Hasn't she realized she can touch the knob, that she can feel her tears, the laughter bubbling down her throat, the heartbeat pounding in her ears?

That she's alive?

Back To Thalia, Sadly.

Thalia's P.O.V.

I sit in my bed, crossing my legs and drumming my legs with my fingers. I look around happily.

Just. Sleeping.

I hum Green Day as I look out the window at a group of teenagers, laughing and pushing each other.

What I'd give to see Annabeth again.

I sigh, staring at the group of happy kids. If I was alive, this would be considered creeping, a intense act of stalking. But, I'm dead, so it doesn't matter.

And that's when something so freaking mind blowing happens, I literally feel World War II explode in my head.

One of them made eye contact,

With me. A dead person.

I nearly snort. They see dead people.

Ha, get it? I see dead people... I'm done now...

I stare into the girls weird brown eyes, my electric blue ones crackling with excitement.

They can see me?

Awe. Some. Ness.

Wait, what?

They. Can. See. Me.

Holy Crappola.

Crap on a cracker.

Holy Peanut Butter Pancakes.

Oh. My. Hades.

They can see me!

I flip out, screaming hi and waving like an idiot, causing them to give me a shy wave before going into a sprint while I laugh in hysteria, screaming," You see me!".

Best. Moment. Eva!


	18. After

After my insane mental moment, I slip down the stairs, shivering as the unconditioned air hits my goose bumped flesh. My yellowing teeth smile under my pale lips, my hands rubbing up and down my arms as my foot touches the last step, my bare foot hitting the soft carpet as I continue to walk to the glass door.

I look mournfully at the grave of Nico's dog. His deep crimson blood adorns the new fallen snow, much like how his owners adorns the wall of the hallway.

_'You Must Keep Them All'._

The impact of the words, lettered in gorgeous cursive along the walls, flash through my curious mind. What did Nico mean, keep them all? Who's them?

My curiousity wins the battle as I climb back up the stairs and look at Nico's body.

His layered black locks cover his closed eyes, looking like dark waves down his forehead. His skin, always pale, seems translucent against the dark wood flooring. I grimace. I will never see those charcoal eyes, those sarcastic smiles, nor the way one of his eyebrows shoots off into his bangs when he was amused.

My head nods as my mind settles a silent agreement.

I take his arm and pull him down the stairs, his head hitting with a thump each time.

"Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry." I say upon each step. I finally get his body to the glass door before opening the see through device. I drag his heavy body to under the tree, next to his dogs grave, before walking back into the house, faking deep breaths.

I look at him laying peacefully under the tree in victory before going upstairs to clean up the blood.

This should take awhile.

Meanwhile Nico sits below her, staring at his dead body in sadness and grief.

Why had she to put him next to his dog?

He walks over to the white tree, the branches twisted to a look of long, white fingers, the bottom of the 'hand' drenched into not only his, but his dogs blood.

_His_

_Dogs_

_Blood._

_His_

_Blood._

He runs his pale fingers down the crimson river, creating odd symbols through the blood. He continues to write, until something comes onto the trees bark.

_'Талйя'_

_'Thalia'_


End file.
